WEDNESDAY WOMAN, THE (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television drama film, based loosely on the life of crime novelist Muriel Davidson, follows a writer's complicated relationship with an ex-convict. The story begins as Muriel reads aloud from her latest novel "The Wednesday Woman," in which the "ordinary" Martha Sullivan's life is destroyed as she falls for a murderer, Everett Madison. She returns home to her husband Bill and teenage daughter Mimi, restless without a project to work on, and her boss George Vick suggests that she write an article about ex-convict Don Wigulow, a former aerospace executive-turned-lowly janitor after a prison sentence. Intrigued, Muriel meets with Don, who proves to be erudite and charismatic, and she later tells her friend Andrea that his life was unfairly "ruined" when his former girlfriend framed him for an attempt on her life. Andrea is immediately suspicious, noting the similarities to the characters in "Wednesday Woman," but Muriel dismisses her worries. Later, Mimi's teacher warns Bill and Muriel that the other students have read her spicy book and are teasing Mimi about it, and Bill notes that Muriel, who suffered an abusive childhood, could easily have "become" the self-destructive Martha had she not made better choices.
Muriel visits Don again and learns that he too is a recovering alcoholic, and the two begin to bond as they go for a drive and he tells her of his painful difficulty in finding a job after leaving prison. She is shaken, however, when he calls her "Martha," and she reads through her own work, recalling how Martha became obsessed with Everett despite having a husband and child. She tells Bill that she is finished with the article, but she continues meeting Don in secret, and when he reveals that his father was violent with him, she opens up about her painful relationship with her own father, whose love she still desired despite his actions. Muriel then realizes that she has forgotten to retrieve Mimi from school, though when Bill demands answers, she states that she was merely discussing Alcoholic Anonymous issues with Don. She heads to a meeting and admits that she has picked up "a couple of new addictions" since quitting alcohol, but she is startled when Don arrives in the room. Clearly aware of the strange passion between them, Muriel tries to dodge Don's advances, but he tells her that they "each have a shadow" and understand one another intimately. Bill, worried that she will fall off the wagon, tries to offer his support to her, but Muriel soon begins drinking again and, shortly thereafter, officially commences an affair with Don.
Muriel begins to obsess over Don as an increasingly suspicious Bill talks to Andrea and searches Muriel's desk, finding a number of alcohol bottles and a scene from her novel in which Martha's husband "Jeff" nearly finds out about her infidelity. Mimi overhears her parents fighting, though Muriel refuses to answer Bill's angry questions and declares that he is belittling her with his spying. Don wonders if Muriel would "do anything" for him, and Bill, who has followed her, then confronts Don, who casually admits to the affair. Bill furiously attacks him, though when he tells Muriel what has happened, she swears that Don was imprisoned unfairly and is in fact "kind and gentle." Bill scornfully tells her that she has truly become "Martha," and he takes Mimi with him when he leaves the house, sure that Muriel is headed for a "lethal conclusion," like her character, and cannot be trusted around their daughter. Don presses charges and Bill is arrested for assault, though is quickly released on bail, and Mimi seems uncomfortable about spending her mother, aware that the family has suffered a serious rift.
Muriel tries to persuade Don to drop the charges against Bill, stating that she has "given up everything" for him, and Don quickly grows angry, noting with disgust that she has resumed drinking out of guilt over the affair. He ends up grabbing her violently, and she flees the motel room before he begins to apologize. Elsewhere, Bill tracks down Don's ex-girlfriend Eileen, who, far from "reassuring" him that Muriel is not in danger, confirms that Don is prone to anger when riled, particularly by women. Bill returns home to find Muriel with Mimi, and she swears that she has ended things with Don, reminding Bill of how he "rescued" her from her cruel parents when they were teenagers. Though doubtful, Bill agrees to meet with Muriel to discuss the matter, but when she fails to arrive, he goes in search of her, using "The Wednesday Woman" as a guide. Muriel attend an A.A. meeting and then reunites with Don at the motel, explaining that she needs "closure" from him and admitting that she fell in love with the romantic idea of him, as Martha did with Everett. Don, angered to hear that he is not a "real person" to her, tries to demand another sexual encounter, comparing her to his neglectful mother as he rants at her. Bill tracks down the motel, similar to that of the novel, and bursts into the room to save Muriel just as she pulls a gun on her lover.
One month later, Muriel and Bill reunite, revealing that Don is still alive but is now finally distanced from their lives. Bill agrees that they were both attempting to "play a role" in their dramatic conflict, and she assures him that she will never make such a mistake again. Mimi is relieved as her parents embrace, signaling some degree of reconciliation. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: May 24, 2000 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:30:25
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:87034
- GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, mystery/suspense; Writers; Romance; Infidelity
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 2000
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Dick Berg … Executive Producer
- Allan Marcil … Executive Producer
- Deboragh B. Gabler … Producer
- Kirt Eftekhar … Co-Producer
- Christopher Leitch … Director
- Nevin Schreiner … Writer
- Muriel Davidson … Based in part on the book by
- Pray For Rain (see also: Dan Wool) … Music by
- Meredith Baxter (see also: Meredith Baxter-Birney) … Cast, Muriel Davidson
- Peter Coyote … Cast, Don Wigulow
- John Heard … Cast, Bill Davidson
- Brittney Irvin … Cast, Mimi Davidson
- Babz Chula … Cast, Andrea Glissner
- Ingrid Torrance … Cast, Martha Sullivan
- Klodeyne Rodney … Cast, Florence Janette
- Joe Maffei … Cast, Ruby
- Adam Harrington … Cast, Everett Madison
- Keith Gordy … Cast, Dave Diebold
- Allan Franz … Cast, Bill's Colleague
- Bill Dow … Cast, George Vick
- Sherry Bie … Cast, Professor
- Kate Robbins … Cast, Woman #1
- Kea Wong … Cast, Young Female Student
- Nicole Leroux … Cast, Woman #3
- Mark Shooley … Cast, Mink Fisser
- Laara Sadiq … Cast, Jodie Rickson
- Glynis Davies … Cast, Nea Friend
- Sarah Deakins … Cast, Actress
- Eric Breker … Cast, Jeff Sullivan
- Gardinar Millar … Cast, Detective #1
- Lynda Boyd … Cast, Eileen Wigulow
- Brenda Campbell … Cast, Fitness Instructor
- Kristina Matisic … Cast, Anchorperson
- Steve Oatway … Cast, Man
- Ian Brown … Cast, Dennis Friend